Editing SSAB (section)

== History ==
[[File:Luleå - KMB - 16000300039843.jpg|left|thumb|SSAB facilities in Luleå]]
Svenskt Stål AB was established on 1 January 1978, following a [[Swedish parliament]]ary decision to merge three struggling steel companies: [[Domnarvets Jernverk|Domnarvets Ironworks]], Norrbottens Järnverk AB (NJA), and Oxelösunds Ironworks.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=9 November 2024 |date=12 January 1978 |publisher=Riksdagen |title=Prop. 1977/78: 87 Regeringens proposition 1977/78: 87 om statligt engagemang inom handelsstålsindustrin, m. m.; |url=https://data.riksdagen.se/dokument/G10387}}<!-- auto-translated from Swedish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=9 November 2024 |date=31 March 1977 |publisher=Industridepartementet, Handelsstålsutredningen |title=Handelsstålsindustrin inför 1980-talet - Betänkande av handelsstålsutredningen - SOU 1977:15 |url=https://weburn.kb.se/metadata/549/SOU_7258549.htm}}<!-- auto-translated from Swedish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> The merger was proposed by a government-led investigation to consolidate Sweden's struggling steel industry.

At its founding, SSAB was 50% owned by the Swedish state and 25% each by Gränges and [[Stora Kopparbergs Bergslag|Stora Kopparberg]]. Björn Wahlström, managing director of NJA, led the merger negotiations and became SSAB's first managing director. The company initially employed approximately 18,000 workers across various operations.

=== Restructuring and profitability (1980s) ===
The initial years were financially challenging, with losses recorded between 1978 and 1981. The company restructured by closing unprofitable operations and focusing on specific products and locations. In 1982, SSAB reported its first profitable year. Ownership changes followed, with Stora selling its stake to the Swedish state in 1981, and Gränges being acquired by [[Electrolux]]. SSAB further focused on steel production and was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange in 1989.<ref>{{cite news |page=48 |publisher=Skillings' Mining Review |volume=75 |author=C. D. Skillings |year=1986 |title=SSAB News}}</ref>

In 1987, a new restructuring plan led to the concentration of production within certain areas. The company formed subsidiaries SSAB Tunnplåt AB (for thin sheet steel production) and SSAB [[Oxelösund]] AB. A third subsidiary, SSAB Profiler, was also established but later sold to Ovako Steel. The [[Domnarvet]] electrosteel plant was closed in 1989, moving focus to continuous casting from [[Luleå]].<ref>{{cite book |page=19 |title=Privatization and changing ownership in the steel industry |publisher=United Nations. Economic Commission for Europe |year=1996}}</ref>

=== Expansion and modernisation (1990s) ===
Following its stock market listing, the Swedish state gradually reduced its own ownership in SSAB, fully divesting direct ownership by 1992. The same year, SSAB acquired Korrugals band-coating line in [[Finspång]] and introduced the "Sträng 5" continuous casting line in Luleå. In 1993, a CAS-OB facility was established in Luleå, and SSAB Laminated Steel AB in [[Ronneby]] was integrated into SSAB Tunnplåt. Significant investments included a new pre-rolling mill in [[Borlänge]] in 1999 and a new blast furnace (Masugn 3) in Luleå in 2000.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=khC0dqDjBrkC&pg=PA65|title=Supply Network Strategies|first1=Lars-Erik|last1=Gadde|first2=Håkan|last2=Håkansson|first3=Göran|last3=Persson|date=19 January 2018|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=9780470518540|via=Google Books}}</ref>

=== International expansion (2000s - 2010s) ===
In 2008, SSAB acquired the American steel producer IPSCO, which operated mills in [[Montpelier, Iowa]], and [[Mobile, Alabama]]. These facilities focused on scrap-based steel production using electric arc furnaces rather than blast furnaces.<ref name="av">Affärsvärlden nr 16 år 2021, sida 12</ref>

In 2014, SSAB acquired Finnish steel producer [[Rautaruukki]] for €1.1 bn.<ref>{{cite news |date=22 January 2014 |title=Steelmaker SSAB to buy Nordic rival Rautaruukki for $1.6 billion |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-rautaruukki-ssab-idUSBREA0L09N20140122 |work=Reuters}}</ref> The acquisition increased SSAB's steel production capacity by 2.6&nbsp;million tons. Following the merger, Finnish state-owned Solidium became SSAB's third-largest shareholder after Industrivärden and [[LKAB]]. Key Rautaruukki production facilities that remained operational included the steel plant in [[Raahe]] and the sheet and pipe manufacturing facility in [[Hämeenlinna]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ssab.com/company/about-ssab/ssab-in-brief|title=SSAB in brief|website=SSAB}}</ref>

=== Sustainability initiatives (2020-) ===
In 2021, SSAB produced the world's first fossil-free steel using hydrogen instead of coke-based processes. The steel was delivered to [[Volvo|Volvo Group]] for testing.<ref name="cnbc">{{Citation
 | last =Frangoul
 | first =Anmar
 | title ='World's first fossil-free steel' produced in Sweden and delivered to Volvo
 | publisher =CNBC
 | date =19 August 2021 | url =https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/19/first-fossil-free-steel-produced-in-sweden-delivered-to-volvo.html
 | access-date =7 September 2021 }}</ref> Today, SSAB operates under three main divisions: SSAB Special Steels, SSAB Europe, and SSAB Americas. It also owns subsidiaries Ruukki Construction and Tibnor.<ref>{{cite web|date=22 January 2014|title=Swedish steel company SSAB in $1.6 billion bid to merge with Finland's Rautaruukki|url=https://www.canadianmetalworking.com/news/metalworking/swedish-steel-company-ssab-in-1-6-billion-bid-to-merge-with-finlands-rautaruukki|website=Canadian Metalworking}}</ref> The company's product brands include SSAB Domex, Hardox, Docol, GreenCoat, Armox, and Toolox.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SSABb.ST – SSAB AB Profile|url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/companies/SSABb.ST|access-date=1 March 2025|website=Reuters.com|language=en}}</ref>

SSAB also sponsors the Swedish Steel Prize and has been involved in various government-supported research programs, such as the "Steel Eco-System" initiative.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yyEpDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT230|title=Corporate Responses to EU Emissions Trading: Resistance, Innovation or Responsibility?|first1=Jon Birger|last1=Skjærseth|first2=Per Ove|last2=Eikeland|date=13 May 2016|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781317159421|via=Google Books}}</ref>

In 2024, SSAB announced that it would build its €4.5&nbsp;billion fossil-free steel mill in [[Luleå]], Sweden, rather than in [[Raahe]], Finland. The decision, which was made after considering both locations, is expected to reduce Sweden's carbon dioxide emissions by 7% upon completion in 2028.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Teivainen |first=Aleksi |date=8 April 2024 |title=SSAB chooses Sweden over Finland as location for €4.5bn fossil-free mill |url=https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/business/25076-ssab-chooses-sweden-over-finland-as-location-for-4-5bn-fossil-free-mill.html |access-date=18 February 2025 |website=Helsinki Times |language=en-gb}}</ref>